The duo was recorded by folklorist Dr. Harry Oster in Zachery, Louisiana in the 1950s and selections by them were issued on the Folk-Lyric album, "Country Negro Jam Session" (later available on Arhoolie who had acquired the Folk-Lyric label)
Thomas was disabled by a back injury he received in his early teens during his family’s migration to Louisiana. He partnered the fiddler James ‘Butch’ Cage on kazoo for 10 years before taking up the guitar, on which he recorded with Cage after their discovery in 1959. Thomas was unusual in seeing no conflict between his secular music and his activities as a street preacher. His guitar playing, though limited, was an ideal complement to Cage’s fiddle, and they formed an unmistakable, raucous vocal duo Willie B. Thomas & Butch Cage.
You Don't Love Me
Butch Cage & Willie B. Thomas Lyrics
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You said you would always stay
It wasn't me who changed but you and now you've gone away
Don't you see that now you've gone
And I'm left here on my own
That I have to follow you and beg you to come home
You don't have to say you love me just be close at hand
Believe me, believe me I can't help but love you
But believe me I'll never tie you down
Left alone with just a memory
Life seems dead and quite unreal
All that's left is loneliness there's nothing left to feel
You don't have to say you love me just be close at hand
You don't have to stay forever
I will understand believe me, believe me
You don't have to say you love me just be close at hand
You don't have to stay forever
I will understand, believe me, believe me
The lyrics to Butch Cage & Willie B. Thomas's song You Don't Love Me tells the story of a heartbroken person who is left alone after their lover leaves them. The first stanza implies that the singer had requested for the lover to stay, but they still decided to leave. The chorus part of the song suggests that the singer still loves the lover despite their abandonment, and all they need from the lover is for them to be around. The second stanza expresses the depth of the singer's affection and how they cannot help but love the lover. The last part of the chorus gives the sense that the singer is not trying to force the lover to return or love them back.
The lyrics are melancholic and express the despair of losing someone who was once close. It portrays how someone feels when they have lost not just a partner, but a friend and companion. They are someone who leans on that special someone for moral support and attention. The song's lyrics are relatable, especially to those who have dealt with a break-up, and it's an excellent reminder that it's okay to plead and beg for someone to come back, but it's also essential to remember that it's not mandatory.
Line by Line Meaning
When I said I needed you
When I communicated my need for you
You said you would always stay
You promised to never leave me
It wasn't me who changed but you and now you've gone away
I remained the same, but you changed and left me alone
Don't you see that now you've gone
Can't you perceive that you left me
And I'm left here on my own
I'm abandoned and alone
That I have to follow you and beg you to come home
I must pursue you and plead for your return
You don't have to say you love me just be close at hand
You don't have to express love verbally, just be nearby
You don't have to stay forever I will understand
You are not obligated to stay permanently, I will comprehend
Believe me, believe me I can't help but love you
Trust me, I am incapable of not loving you
But believe me I'll never tie you down
However, I will never restrict or restrain you
Left alone with just a memory
Abandoned with only a recollection
Life seems dead and quite unreal
Existence appears insubstantial and unrealistic
All that's left is loneliness there's nothing left to feel
Only isolation remains, and there are no emotions left
You don't have to say you love me just be close at hand
You don't have to express love verbally, just be nearby
You don't have to stay forever
You are not obligated to stay permanently
I will understand believe me, believe me
I will comprehend, trust me
You don't have to say you love me just be close at hand
You don't have to express love verbally, just be nearby
You don't have to stay forever
You are not obligated to stay permanently
I will understand, believe me, believe me
I will comprehend, trust me
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Giuseppe Donaggio, Simon Napier-Bell, Vito Pallavicini, Vicki Heather Wickham
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind